Jessica "Figgy" Figueroa announces another casting decision for Survivor 50

The upcoming milestone season, Survivor 50, marks a major achievement for the genre-defining reality show. Fans have been left in charge of some elements, but casting remains in the hands of the network. Given that the season will have returning players, it is inevitable that casting leaks happen. Players have been chiming in on social media, announcing their feelings, and the newest castaway to join the party is Jessica "Figgy" Figueroa.

Figgy was an outspoken contestant on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X (33). Figgy is likely most remembered on that season for her showmance with fellow castaway Taylor Stocker. However, she also clashed often with tribemate Michaela Bradshaw, with the two strong personalities rarely seeing eye to eye.

While Figgy did not last long on the season, she made her impact known. She was able to navigate her way into the majority alliance on her original tribe despite painting herself a target by forming a romantic relationship with Taylor. When the tribe swap came, she was paired with Taylor and fellow tribemember Adam Klein.

Figgy believed herself to be safe, but Adam maneuvered his way into a swing vote position. He ultimately turned on her, voting her out before she reached the merge. Typically, a premerge boot won't often get editing attention, but Figgy's strong personality established her as a main part of the season even with her short tenure.

Figgy fills fans in on casting for Survivor 50

Fans were polarized by Figgy's time on Survivor. Some found her unabashed personality and her staying true to herself to be refreshing. Her unapologetic choices endeared her to many viewers. Others found her flirtatious personality frustrating, and her feuds with fan favorite Michaela were received with mixed reactions.

Her time on Survivor was impactful enough in reality television circles because she recently was cast in a new show on Netflix, Squid Games: The Challenge. Unfortunately, she did not last long on this season either, making it to episode 3.

Ultimately, Figgy is not the strongest personality the game has seen, nor the greatest game player, but she is enjoyable to watch and could prove herself if given another chance. Her ability to navigate herself into power showed she has the gameplay chops to succeed on Survivor, and her strong personality can help her make headlines as well.

Any fan that was hoping to see Figgy back on television, however, may find themselves disappointed. Despite being a character worth seeing again, Figgy took to X and other social media sites to share a video announcement that she will not be on the upcoming milestone season.

It is a shame that Figgy still has not gotten an opportunity to return. Without a showmance tying her down, Figgy could have the leadership qualities and strategic chops to go deep into the game, if her overconfidence does not do her in. She and her dog, Cookie, will have to wait longer if they want a chance to compete again.

Final thoughts on Survivor 50 casting

While not an egregious omission, it seems that casting decisions for Survivor 50 are coming down to many players who have played multiple times and are considered iconic. With news leaks reporting that casting has been taken over by CBS, it appears that new or modern era seasons are getting overlooked more.

This makes sense from a marketing standpoint, but ideally, the casting would be balanced across all eras. From a purely game standpoint, seeing players get their second chance can feel a lot more fitting than winners returning or players getting cast 4 or 5 times. That said, there is a reason players have become icons, and it does bring viewers.

That said, not casting "Figgy" is a tough choice. Many players deserve a second chance, have a big personality, and could make the season exciting. There are only so many spots to go around, but Figgy deserved a close look. Hopefully, sometime in the future, she will grace our television sets once again.